SECTION LXIII
"Vaisampayana said, 'Then while a great havoc was being made among the
Kurus, Santanu's son, Bhishma, and grandsire of the Bharatas rushed at
Arjuna, taking up an excellent bow adorned with gold, and many arrows
also of keen points and capable of piercing into the very vitals of the
foe and afflicting him sorely. And in consequence of a white umbrella
being held over his head, that tiger among men looked beautiful like unto
a hill at sunrise. And the son of Ganga, blowing his conch cheered the
sons of Dhritarashtra, and wheeling along his right came upon Vibhatsu
and impeded his course. And that slayer of hostile heroes, the son of
Kunti, beholding him approach, received him with a glad heart, like a
hill receiving a rain-charged cloud. And Bhishma, endued with great
energy, pierced Partha's flag-staff with eight arrows. The arrows
reaching the flag-staff of Pandu's son, struck the blazing ape and those
creatures also stationed in the banner-top. And then the son of Pandu,
with a mighty javelin of sharp-edge cut of Bhishma's umbrella which
instantly fell on the ground. And then the light-handed son of Kunti
struck his adversary's flag-staff also with many shafts, and then his
steeds and then the couple of drivers that protected Bhishma's flanks.
And unable to bear this, Bhishma though cognisant of the Pandava's might,
covered Dhananjaya with a powerful celestial weapon. And the son of
Pandu, of immeasurable soul, hurling in return a celestial weapon at
Bhishma, received that from Bhishma like a hill receiving a deep mass of
clouds. And the encounter that took place between Partha and Bhishma, was
fierce and the Kaurava warriors with their troops stood as lookers on.
And in the conflict between Bhishma and the son of Pandu, shafts striking
against shafts shone in the air like fireflies in the season of rains.
And, O king, in consequence of Partha's shooting arrows with both his
right and left hands, the bent Gandiva seemed like a continuous circle of
fire. And the son of Kunti then covered Bhishma with hundreds of sharp
and keen-edged arrows, like a cloud covering the mountain-breast with its
heavy downpour. And Bhishma baffled with the own arrows that arrowy
shower, like the bank resisting the swelling sea, and covered the son of
Pandu in return. And those warriors, cut into a thousand pieces in
battle, fell fast in the vicinity of Falguna's car. And then there was a
downpour, from the car of Pandu's son, of arrows furnished with golden
wing, and raining through the sky like a flight of locusts. And Bhishma
again repelled that arrowy shower with hundreds of whetted shafts shot by
him. And then the Kauravas exclaimed.--Excellent! Excellent!--Indeed,
Bhishma hath performed an exceedingly difficult feat inasmuch as he hath
fought with Arjuna. Dhananjaya is mighty and youthful, and dexterous and
swift of hand. Who else, save Bhishma, the son of Santanu, or Krishna,
the son of Devaki, or the mighty son of Bharadwaja, the foremost of
preceptors, is able to bear the impetus of Partha in battle? And
repelling weapons with weapons, those two bulls of the Bharata race, both
endued with great might, fought on playfully and infatuated the eyes of
all created beings. And those illustrious warriors ranged on the field of
battle, using the celestials weapons obtained from Prajapati and Indra,
and Agni and the fierce Rudra, and Kuvera, and Varuna, and Yama, and
Vayu. And all beings were greatly surprised, upon beholding those
warriors engaged in combat. And they all exclaimed,--Bravo Partha of long
arms? Bravo Bhishma! Indeed, this application of celestial weapons that
is being witnessed in the combat between Bhishma and Partha is rare among
human beings."
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Thus raged that conflict with weapons between
those warriors conversant with all weapons. And when that conflict of
celestial weapons ceased, then commenced a conflict with arrows. And
Jishnu approaching his opponent, cut of with an arrow sharp like a razor
the gold-decked bow of Bhishma. Within the twinkling of the eye, however,
Bhishma, that mighty-armed and great car-warrior, took up another bow and
stringed it. And inflamed with wrath, he showered upon Dhananjaya a cloud
of arrows. And Arjuna, too, endued with great energy, rained upon Bhishma
innumerable sharp-pointed and keen-edged arrows. And Bhishma also shot
clouds of arrows upon Pandu's son. And conversant with celestial weapons
and engaged in shooting and each other, arrows of keen points, no
distinction, O king, could then be perceived between those illustrious
warriors. And that mighty car-warrior, Kunti's son, covered with a
diadem, and the heroic son of Santanu, obscured the ten directions with
their arrows. And the Pandava covered Bhishma, and Bhishma also covered
the Pandava, with clouds of shafts. And, O king, wonderful was this
combat that took place in this world of men. And the heroic warriors that
protected Bhishma's car, slain by the son of Pandu, fell prostrate, O
monarch, beside the car of Kunti's son. And the feathery arrows of
Svetavahana, shot from the Gandiva, fell in all directions as if with the
object of making a wholesale slaughter of the foe. And issuing forth from
his car those blazing arrows furnished with golden wings looked like rows
of swans in the sky. And all the celestials with Indra, stationed in the
firmament, gazed with wonder upon another celestial weapon hurled with
great force by that wonderful archer Arjuna. And beholding that wonderful
weapon of great beauty, the mighty Gandiva, Chitrasena, highly pleased,
addressed the lord of celestials, saying, 'Behold these arrows shot by
Partha coursing through the sky in one continuous line. Wonderful is the
dexterity of Jishnu in evolving this celestial weapon! Human beings are
incapable of shooting such a weapon, for it does not exist among men. How
wonderful again is this concourse of mighty weapons existing from days of
old! No interval can be perceived between his taking up the arrows,
fixing them on the bow-string, and letting them off by stretching the
Gandiva. The soldiers are incapable of even looking at the son of Pandu,
who is like unto the midday sun blazing in the sky. So also none ventures
to look at Bhishma, the son of Ganga. Both are famous for their
achievements, and both are of fierce prowess. Both are equal in feats of
heroism, and both are difficult of being vanquished in battle.'
'Thus addressed by the Gandharva about that combat between Partha and
Bhishma, the lord of the celestials, O Bharata, paid proper respect unto
both by a shower of celestial flowers. Meanwhile, Bhishma, the son of
Santanu, assailed Arjuna on the left side, while that drawer of the bow
with either hands was on the point of piercing him. And at this,
Vibhatsu, laughing aloud, cut off with an arrow of keen edge and
furnished with vulturine wings, the bow of Bhishma, that hero of solar
effulgence. And then Dhananjaya, the son of Kunti, pierced Bhishma in the
breast with ten shafts although the latter was contending with all his
prowess. And sorely afflicted with pain Ganga's son of mighty arms and
irresistible in battle, stood for a long time leaning on the pole of his
car. And beholding him deprived of consciousness the driver of his
car-steeds, calling to mind the instructions about protecting the
warriors when in a swoon, led him away for safety.'"
--------------------END OF PARVA 4 : UPA-PARVA 63 ---------------------
